On The Market

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this episode and written below are solely opinions of the hosts, guests, and writers and do not reflect the views of BiggerPockets. Is it about to get even worse for NAR (National Association of Realtors)? After a ground-breaking agent commission lawsuit settlement forced the organization to pay out hundreds of millions, NAR has been on thin ice. They had just come off of a massive change in leadership, with some executives facing sexual harassment accusations, only to have the spotlight put on them once again. But it’s not over. A new investigative piece from The New York Times reporter Debra Kamin uncovers a web of hidden donations to political groups that many NAR members aren’t aware of. NAR, the largest lobbyist group in the country, is well-known for donating to political causes that benefit their industry. However, it seems those donations heavily lean to one side of the political spectrum. So, is this a problem? Could it even be illegal? Debra reveals that many of these donations go to groups unrelated to real estate, leaving some members frustrated with how their dues are being spent. Could this be the final blow to NAR, paving the way for more competition among real estate agent organizations? Debra is on to break the story.

“Return to office” mandates from the tech and finance industries are coming rapidly. But they’re not just going back to the downtown areas. Return to office (RTO) calls could cause a surprisingly beneficial boost to suburban areas, even as employees are forced back into the office. This has enormous effects on landlords and real estate investors, as the hottest place to own a home might actually be somewhere outside of the city center. Matt Reidy, Director of CRE Economics at Moody’s Analytics, joined us to give a full update. Matt talks about the potential office comeback that could be taking place and the one type of office investment that is outperforming the rest. However, office vacancies are still at an all-time high, and companies are starting to get creative. Could a move into the suburbs help entice employees by keeping commute times minimal? This could be great news for residential investors outside the cities, as “live, work, play” environments could become a hot commodity.

Are we in store for another agent commission lawsuit battle? Why are home sales spiking right after the election? And guess what…it’s not investors buying up all the houses this time. We’re getting into the biggest housing market news in today’s headlines episode! Plus, we’re sharing exactly what you need to do TODAY to still get real estate deals done, even with high interest rates and higher home prices. Home tours are surging after the election as potential homebuyers breathe a sigh of relief knowing that 24/7 election coverage has finally ceased. But it’s not the investors who are coming back to buy the houses. Investor purchase numbers are falling, so why are landlords sitting on the sidelines this time? And say it ain’t so…another real estate agent commission lawsuit could be on the way as the Department of Justice finds faults in the NAR settlement. What does this mean for agents, brokers, and realtors? Will an easily browsable listing site like Zillow take over in place of real-life realtors? Some worry a Zillow “monopoly” could be forming. We’re sharing what we think in this episode.

It’s the season for housing market predictions, and we know who to call! Altos Research and HousingWire’s Mike Simonsen joins the show to share where his team thinks mortgage rates, home prices, housing inventory, and buyer demand will be in 2025. Every year, the HousingWire team puts together a phenomenal housing market forecast, touching on the topics investors, agents, lenders, and housing nerds care about while recapping the wildest surprises of the year prior. Will mortgage rates finally fall below six percent in 2025? Will home prices dip with housing inventory up a substantial percentage year-over-year? And could agents and lenders finally get some relief with home sales, or will we still see sluggish purchasing and buyer activity? Not to spoil it, but Mike is optimistic about the 2025 housing market and what will come over the next twelve months. Mike breaks down each prediction and what could affect YOU the most, whether you’re buying or selling homes. Plus, he shares the one metric his team is watching carefully to see which direction the 2025 housing market is headed.

Discounted real estate deals could be coming THIS winter as the housing market begins to “thaw.” Today, Dave is flying solo, bringing you a housing market update on all the crucial factors real estate investors are looking at—home prices, mortgage rates, housing supply, and rent prices. Even with home sales falling by a massive margin, home prices are still at all-time highs, and the housing market is “stuck,” but we could see some sellers taking price cuts this winter if you’re willing to take advantage. Okay, but how can home prices still be THIS high when the total home sales are twenty percent lower than average and around fifty percent under the recent highs? It’s simple—affordability struggles. High rates, high prices, and “locked-in” homeowners staying in place keep the market frozen. So, why does Dave believe sellers will be more inclined to drop their prices this winter? Where does he believe interest rates will be by the end of the year? And what’s the one thing that could get the housing market “unstuck”?